Method of lacing shoe uppers



Oct. 4, 1932. H. E. ENsLlN METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS 12 SheeS-Sheet l Original Filed March 5, 1925 Oct. 4, 1932. H. E. ENsLlN 1,381,178

METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS Original Filed March 5, 1925 12 Sheets-Sheet 2 Oct-4,1932. H. E. r-:NsLlN METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS Original Filed March 5, 1925 12 Sheets-Sheet 3 Maf n y Oct. 4, 1932. E, ENsLlN 1,881,178

METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS original Filed March -5, 192s 12 sheets-sheet 4 I 'n ze Oct. 4, 1932.

Original Filed March 5, 1925 H. E.' ENsLlN METHOD 0F LACING SHOE UPPERS 12 Sheets-Sheet 5 Oct. 4, 1932. H. E. ENsLlN METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS riginal Filed March 5, 1925 12 Sheets-Sheet 6 Oct, 4, 1932. H. E. ENsLlN METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS Original Flled March 5, 1925 12 Sheets-Sheet 7 Oct. 4, 1932. H. E. ENsLlN METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS 12 Sheets-Sheet 8 Original Filed March 5, 1925 Oct, 4, 1932. H. E. ENsLlN METHOD 0F LACING SHOE UPPERS Original Filed March 5, 1925 12 Sheets-Sheet 9 Oct. 4, 1932. H. E. ENsLlN METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS Original Filed March 5, 1925 12 Sheets-Sheet 10 Oct. 4, 1932. H. E. ENSLIN METHOD OF LACING SHOE UPPERS 12 Sheets-Sheet l1 0rigna1 Filed March 5, 1925 Oct. 4, 1932. H E, ENSLlN 1,881,178

lMETHOD OF LACING-SHOE UPPERS Original Filed March 5, 1925 12 Sheets-Shea?l 12 me@ S Elven-5r f f@ mi K Y original application sied iviarcii 5, 192s, serial no. 13,299. Divided and uns Patented Oct. 4,` 1932 N i Eric-E 1 vHERBERT E. EizrsLIN,`,oE EEVEELY, liviassaci UsErr-s, .assieivorv 'ro UNITED sHoE MAci-irNEEYoonro'EATroN, oErATEEseiL NEW'JERSEY, A conronii'rroiv or NEW JERSEY 1930. Serial Y The invention relates to a method of lacing shoeuppers and is herein disclosed in connection with the machine for lacing shoe uppers described and claimed in theapplicantsr pending application Serial No;v 18299 filed i March 5, 1925,'of which the present application is a division. L y Y i lin doing certain classes of work the upper should be soy laced that when it is lasted the edges of the quarters will be held closev togetherat the lower eyelets and will gradually separate above the'seeyelets. The method of the present invention provides yfor vthus Vlacingthe quarters and for accurately and uniformly limiting Athe separation at each pair of Yeyelets to insure the proper and desired relation between the edges of the quar- -ters during the lasting. This is accomplishedby connecting the diierent pairs oi' 'the' bottom eyelets upward.V Each vpair of eyelets by separate or individual lacings, the lengths of which progressively increase trom eyelets is thus'conne'cted by alacing which is unaected by or independent of the lacings connecting -the other pairs of eyelets and which may Ybe-of the proper length toy accurately secure'the desired separation of the quarters at the pairsof eyelets. t Vhile a gradually increasing separation oiI the quarters is required onsome classesv of s work, there` areother classes of work which require a uniform separation between the edges of the quarters and therefore between the different pairs of eyelets. The machine herein disclosed is designed to lace the up-y pers in accordance'with the above lmethod and is therefore so constructed ythat it may be adjusted to insert and form in a series of pairs of eyelets either aseries of lacings ofvaryingv lengths ,ora series'of lac-ings of`V equal lengths. To adapt the machine for doing a wide range of work, itis also adjustable for diiierent spacings oit' eyelets and also to secure any lengthv ofk lacing "or degree" otvariation between adjacent lacings.

Small invisible eyelets are widely used in lthe manufacture of shoes, particularly of thefhigher grades, and the construction and mode 'of operation of the lace inserting devices are-.particularly adapted for inserting METi-ion'or EACING SHOE UrrEns application led May 15., No. 452,629. l l

lacings in this type of eyelet. They include a hollow cord carrying spindle through which the cord is threaded, and from the end of which it projects into position to be engaged by the devices which cooperate with the spindle in inserting and tying the lacing. This form of spindle may be readily inserted and withdrawn from the eyelets and may i readily be made of a size to enter thesmalleseyelets used. The devices cooperating with the spindle act to drawtherefromthe proper length of thread, sever it from the cord carried by the spindle and tie the ends together' to 'orm a lacing loop which connects a. pair of eyelets.l

To permit a plurality of lacings to be simultaneously inserted and tied, a number of lace inserting units corresponding to the number ci pairs of eyelets in the series to be laced have been provided, each of which carries4 a cord carrying Aspindle and cooperating looping and lrnotting devices. The units are relatively adjustable laterally to vary the distance between adjacent spindles in accordance with the spacing of the eyelets in thelwork. The length of each lacing loop is determined by the position of the.corresponding'pair of v eyelets with relation to the knotting devices` at the time the ends of the lacing cord are tied together and the length of the different loops and the variation in the lengths of different loops is conveniently determined by varying the position of the work when the lacings are tied.

The invention will be further explained in connection with the machine shown in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings Figure l is a lright hand side elevation of a machine embodying one form of the invention; Fig. 2 is a detail of the starting and stopping mechanism; Fig. 3 is a sectional view lon line 3, Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a sectional View on line l, Fig. 2;' Fig. 5 is a plan view 'of the machine; Fig. 6 is a front elevation of the machine; Figq? is a right hand side elevation partly in section with parts of the casing broken away; Fig. 8 is a detail show.- ing'a part of the mechanism for determining the'leiigths of the lacings; Fig. 9 is a sectional elevation on line 9, Fig. 7 Fig. 10 is fa detail Showing a part of themechanisms for measuring the lengths of the lacings;

Fig. 11 is a sectional elevation on line 11, Fig. 7 Fig. 12 is a sectional detail on line 12,

F ig. 1 1; F ig. 13 isa partial front view with the wor-k platezremoved; Fig. ltis a detail` Qshow'ingl a part of the cord cutter operating mechanism Fig. 15 is a partial side elevation partly inY section; F ig. 16 Visa sectional-view onllinelfof F ig. 1.7 Fig.- 17 is a' detail sectional viewl through the Vlolock carrying the center cord spindle and knotter; Fig-18 is a sectional detail on linelS, Fig. 17; Fig.l 19

yis a'detail' of the part shown in Fig. 18; Figs;

to 33 area series of diagrammatic views illustrating themode of operation in insert- Vingand forming the lacings.

. In'v the formfoftheinvention illustrated,

f the individual lacings 'which'iconnect the series of pairs kOfeyelets are simultaneously inserted and consist of aseries of cords each of which passes through ya pair of eyelets and hasfitsends tied together to form a lacing'y loop yconnecting the eyelets.

.f The'devices for thus connecting the eyelets by individual. lacings comprise a' series of f cord carrying spindles2arranged to pass a` seriesof cords through 'the eyelets as the upper iS placed D'hG/Spndles by fhg/'Dp e1at0r;uppe`r and lower gripper jaws 4 and '.6 whichgrp the endsof the cords and draw the cords through 'the spindles and eye-lets as thel spindles withdrawA from the eyelets upper and lower gripper jaws 8 and/1U` and knife 12 which grip and sever the cords on the inner'side of the eyelets; a series of knotT ters 14, whichtie the endsv of the cords a workholderl which positions the work after 'the spindles have withdrawn and during the kn'otting; andV a measuring and strippingv plate *18 over which thecfords leadj from the l eyelets tothe knotters. Y

.l When the machine vis'. at restv between lace inserting cycles the spindles with the ends of nthe' cords projecting fromV their forward i' ends stand' in the position indicated in Figs.

7, 15 and' 17 so thatthe operator may readily pass the pairs of eyelets to be secured together projecting fingers of-the work holder 16.V

i the spindles themachine isstarted and the ygripping Vjaws 1 and 6 ymove down into the over Vthe spindles, with the upper edges of the quarters underlying the forwardly After the operator has placed the upper on positionzindicated in Fig'. 15, seize the projecting ends of thefcords and then move up.

into the ypositionindicated in Fig. 20, while thespindles 2 Awithdrawfromthe eyelets,

Y thus drawing Vsuflicient cord .through each till.

` positionthe eyelets withrelation to the knot-- spindle to form the corresponding lacing` loop.Y The work holder also moves downto ting devices. As the spindles complete their rearward movement, the'l'owerij aw 10 .of the 1 inner gripper moves upward Vinto engageinside-'land outsideV lthe eyelets is' equali'zed 'Y and broughtrtogether vpreparatory to the .knottingq The knotters also move forward into the posi-tiontoact on the cords. The

measuring and stripping plate 18 acconipanics thefgripping JawV 10 in'its `upward movement from the position indicated in. Fig. 2O into the positionindicatedlin Fig.v 21 and remains suhstantiallyatthis height untilit is again depressed atthe end ofthe knottingoperationV in tightening thev knot and stripping iti from the lknotter' fingers. 3

The Vknotters are then.` turned through a. vhalf revolution to bring their laterally proiecting lingers 20 back of the twogstrands, of cord leadingV from the opposite sides lof eyelets .to the inner and outer grippers and are then moved backward to draw the cords across the upper edgeof'the measuring plate 18, as indicated-in Fig 22, theinner and outer grippers moving .downwardy tof give upv cord to accommodate this moveinentof the knotters. The knotters are thenlrotatedthrough threefquartersof a revolution into'the positioii indicated in Fig.V 23 to form loops about the knotter fingers as indicated. rlhe knetter fingers arefthen separated, as indiinn vcated in-Figs. 28 and y29,5andthe inner and outer grippers move lrearwardly to carry the ends of the vcords between the y fingers of the knotters, as indicatedin Figs. 24;, 28and 29.

VThe grippersthen open to release the ends ofthe cordsand the knetter fingersclose to embrace the cord ends as indicated in Fig. 25. vThe knotters'iare then rturned throughV a half revolution into the position indicated vin Fig. .26, while the outer gripper moves out- Vs,

ward and then downto engage the-upper v edge of the'plate 18 so vthat theV 'cords'l are grippedV closeito the knottersbythe lower gripper jaw andV stripper plate. rlhe gripper jaws and plate then move downward into the position indicated'infFig-27 so that 'the loops are stripped yoid of the knetter fingers,

each of which draws a `loight yof the corre sponding cord endthrough the loopvforrnet onV the fingers, thus completing. and' tightening the knot asindicated in Figs. 27,30 and 31.` {The looper fingers are theni again separated or-opened so that .the iinaldownward movementjofthe outer gripper and stripper plate dischargesthe laced upper' as indicated inFigs.'l 32 'and V33. The parts are then'returned to the` positions 'indicatedV inV Fig; 7

and the machine is stoppedfwith the parts in .this 'positiom ready ffor lanother ylace inserting cycle. Y

' The'machine shownisdesigned to insert individual lacings in any number of pairs of eyeletsup to seven and is accordingly provided witha gang of seven lace inserting Vunits which are arranged'sidebyside and ing.V The. three blocks on each side of the center block are formed vonthe inner ends of sleeves 82 whichl are nested to slide one within the other7 the sleeves for the twoinner blocks of each seriesof` three sliding on the rod and withinthe sleeves of the intermediate blocks which in turn slide within the Y sleevesof the outer blocks (Figs. 5 and 9). The blocks are yadjusted to vary the spacing of thespindles by a series of links 34connect- Y ing the blocks with a disk 36 mounted on the l stud 28 of the center'block and-connected by a link 38 with an adjusting lever 40 arranged within convenient reach of theoperator. y Each spindle carrier V241s inthe form of a ,l tube mounted to reciprocate in the corresponding block 22 and carrying at its front end ahollowspindle which may be conveniently screwed' into the forward end of the carrier (Fig. 17) The'tube is provided with a cord tensioning spring 42 which projects vthrough a Vslot in the upper side ofthe tube and has its forward endarrangedto bear against the bearing in which the Ytube slides l lso that the spring is pressed againstthe cord passing through the tube. The spring is so arranged, however, that ywhen the spindle carrier isin itsfadvanced position lthe end of the spring passes out of the bearing in the block,y thus relieving the tension on the cord so that it may be drawn freely through the tube and spindle'in threading the spindle. The tubes are"retracted to` withdraw the spindles from the eyelets andare subsequently Yreturned to normal positionby a transverse cylindrical bar 44 pa'ssing'through plates 46 which are secured to the under side ofthe rear ends of they tubes .and extend 'down through slots in' the blocks 22. Theendsv of the bar'are carried in bearing blocks 48 secured in collars which are in `turn secured to the forward ends of two rods 52 mounted to reciprocate in bearings 54 formed on the f machine casing. 'Collars 56 are secured tothe Y rear ends of the rods` and are connected by Vpinand slot vconnectionswith the upper ends of arms 58 vwhich are secured to a sleeve 60 mounted on'a rock shaft 62V and oscillated to advance and retract .the spindles 'by a .cam

formedin a disk 64and engaged kby a roll on an arm 66 which projects forward from the hub of the left hand arm 58 (Figs. 7 and 11) In order that any number of spindles may he rendered inactive when inserting lacings in less than the full number ofeyelets for which the machine is designed, means is provided for readily disconnecting the spindle carriers from their actuating bar 44. Means is also provided which acts automaticallyL underthe control of the operator to return the inactive spindle carriers to active relation with the bar. yTo permit the spindle carriers to be disconnected from the bar the plates 46 vare provided in front of the bar with open slots 68 which vare somewhat less in width than ythe diameter of the bar and the bar is 'cut away at 70 on opposite sides to-permit it to pass through the slots when given a quarter turn from its normal position indicated in F ig. 17 lto the'position indicated in Fig. 19. The bar is mounted to turn and move lengthwise in the bearing blocks 48 and is held in normal interlocking relation'with the spindle carriers by projecting pins'72 held in the engagement with notchers in the right hand block 48 by a spring 74 which forces the bar yieldingly toward the right (Fig. 18) When themachine is at rest with the spindles in ad' vanced position the notched end 76 of the bar is in position to be enga ed by a lug 7 8 lon the inner end of a shaft 8O w ich projects through outer endwith a knurled operating head 82.

AThe shaft is held yieldingly in retracted position by the spring 84. If one or more of the spindles is to be rendered inactive the operator pushes in the shaft 8O to engage the lug 78 withthe notched end of the bar 44 and gives the bar a quarter turn into the position indicated in Fig. 19 where the bar is held by the engagement of the pins 72 with the shallow notches 86. Anyof the spindles may now be pushed back to disengage the corresponding plate 46 from the bar 44 as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 17 after which the bar 44 may be returned to normal position where it is in inter-locking engagement with the plates of the spindle carriers which have not been thrust back. Vhen the b-ar 44 is retracted to withdraw the spindles those spindles which have been disconnected will be moved back by engagement of the bar with the forward edges of the ycorresponding plates 46 into position where they will not interfere with the operation of the lace-inserting devices and the inactive spindles will remain in this abnormal retracted position until again re-connected with the bar 44.

When it is desired to renderthe inactive spindles again active the bar 44 is again turned into the position indicated in Fig. 19 and the inactive spindle carriers are iirst forced forward into engagement with the bar,-afterwhich the bar is returned to lockingposition. The means for re-engagingI the spindle:'carriersawith the bar "consists of va transverse. rod '-88' arranged. to-'engage-the f Y lrear ends vof the'pl'ates 46 andlcarried .in the :upperendof kan arml 90 which is mounted tozturn on-a transverse shaft 92 and is forced shoulders 98, .one lor the other of which yengages the projecting end ofthefrod when itis .moved back` by the rearwardmovement of thespind'le carriers. The latch is secured vuponarock shaftv lwhich projects through Y .the machine-.casing yand is provided with a leverf1102,by*whichthez operator may ltrip V.the latchftorelease the'rod 88.1v Whenthe rod is released, itfislmovedfoiward by its vspringv to advancerany'jgspindle Carriers which may v vided with col'larsgl() which` are groo'ved `to be `in;abnormalliretracted `-position into en'- feo gageinent with .the spindle actuating bar 44. lf Aall ofthes'pindles are active 'the rod will be returned bythe first rearward/movement of the 1 spindles intoposition tobe engaged by the.forwardshoulder 98 of the latch 96.

lf,.how e ver, oneor moreof the spindle carriers is'disconneeted from the actuating bar Y when the.spindlesyare retracted, the' idle vspindle 'carrierv-.will push the` rod 88 backV until it is `engaged and retained by engagement with lthe rear shoulder 98 of thelatcln .Eachy knotter .consists ,of two levers :14

- provided lat' their forward 'ends with the u Y engaging'and forming thelrn'ot intheends ofi laterally projecting lrnotter fingers 210 `for Vthecords Yas heretofore described f Each pair of yknetter levers Aisfnuounted in' the Y lslot'tefdfend rof vthe corresponding .knetter carrier26 whichis securedv to ahol-low shaft r 104 mounted to turn andV slidelengthwisein Ak.the correspendinbloclr- 22. The rear ends 4D f a e: .l

Vofjtheleversare recessed to engage and turn Y Von a pivotlug 106 carried on the forward openedl and'closed by. .forward andlbackward I endg-of a redlOSwhichl rpasses through the shaft1(n)4.jy The Ylevers are .provided `with Icam slots engagingajpin'` 110in the knetter carrierj so Vthat the i knetter lingers 2Ov maybe movement of the' levers imparted thereto by the; rod 108. f The lrnotters are'rotated through spiralgears 112 confined in recesses in the blocks 22 and engagingvspiral pinions V114 also conlinedfin recesses in the blocks 22 I and lconnected with. the lshafts 104 vby` allrey Y and slot,V connection, permitting jendwisev y movement ,ofv the shafts through the pinions. l VV The gears 112 are mounted on a transverse rock shaft 116 with which they are con-V nected by a key and slot connection, per-k mitting movementof thefgearsendwise, of Vtheshaft whenft'he ,blocks 22 are, adjusted to f .j v arythefspacingof the spindles. The shaft 1116,,isaetu-ated through aflever 118, one arm a .Camas uw, am disk 5126 (rigen, 9 Y and16); Y Thefshafts 104are` advaricedfand'retractedV to. advance` and retract-the knotters bytransversefbars128spa`ced to receive'therear endsk oftheshaftsrwhichare provided with anges engaging opposite sidesl of vthefbars.v The ends of the bars are -secured to collars l130 whicharein turn secured to rodsf132mounied to reciprocate'inbearings `134 on the ma chine casingfFigs. 7,k 11 and 117).V The collars` are. connected-by links 136 withV arms 138 formed on a sleeve 140zwhich` ismounted to turn on a shaft 142. and isfprovided with a forwardlyprojecting 'arni 144 carrying a cam roll`146 whichengages a .cam groove Yin the cam .disk 148.

The rearends of the'rods embrace the inner edges of two'ftransverse bars 152, the ends of which areisecuredto collars 154.fmounted on the rods 132" and pressed forward by springs 156 interposed between the'collars and sleeves-158 pinned to the rods. rllhe'. springs force the-rods 108 andthe knotter levers forward f so that the knotterviingers are closedandso that the knotters-V move forwardr'andback intoy the points in fthe cycle of operations lby a'cain 160 arranged to engage aroll 162 on the forwardly projectingarm of a bel'l'crank lever. 164 which 'is secured tothe; shaft 142v and thevvertical arm of rwhichis connected by a link 166with the righthand'fcollar 154,

whilethelleft'- hand collar is eonnectedby similar llink 166 with an arm the rock shaft-v Y .Y t 'llhelower aw V6 of the outer cord gripper 168 secured `:to`

isforined-bythe upper ,surface of a trans-V versebar secured to a late170 and the'u. per

Y i i ll jaw4is formed by the lower edge ofthe slide Y 172 mounted infthegplate andforcedi toward thelower awby springs 174 (Figs. 7 and 15). vThe slide is provided `with afforwardly projecting finger1-76 at its upper end arranged to V engage ka zredstop 1.7 8 and thus open the gripper to receive .thecord Aends as the gripper isv moved into the positionL indicated in rvFig.

15. VThe gripper carrying'plate@ lOfis pro- Avided at vits upper end with rearwardly pro- `jecting ears which arepinnedfto the ends of a roclrshaft `180 mounted in an Var1n182 (Fig. 9). AThis arm is mounted'on a transverse Vshaft 184 andis actuated to lower and raise the .outer Ygripper throughan'arm 186 yprojecting from its'hub `and connected by'a link 1S8with the forward end of a carni lever 190 whichfisfmounted onthe shaft '142 and is proshalftllSO is rocked in ithe larm i182'v to swing the'outer gripper inward or outward through aniarm 194l secured yto ,thelshaf-ta'ndr'connected ward togetherto carry the ends of the cordsv by a link 196 with one arm of a bell crank lever 198 which is mounted on the shaft 184 and has its other arm connected-by a link 200 `with afcam lever -202 mounted onv the shaft 142 and provided with a cam roll engaging the camv disk 204. l/Vhen the outer gripper is swung inward, it engages and moves the inner gripper so that the grippers move inbetween the fingers of the knotters, as indicated in Fig. 24.".Tliis movement vof the outer gripper also brings ak pin 206 projecting from the rearl face vot the slidev V172 Vinto position kto engage the upper'edge of thevbar which forms the uper* 'aw 8 of the innerv ri )Der and tem orarily arrest the downward movement of the slide so that the outer gripper isy opened to krelease the cords by continued downward movement of the gripper carrying plate 170, as indicated in Fig. 25. At the same time the bar 10 of the inner gripper is depressed by its actuating mechanism Yto release the cord ends held thereby. After the cords have been released, the outergripper swings outward accompanied by the inner gripper and plate 18 to theposition of'Fig.r`21, the outward vmovement ofthe outer gripper continuing slightly to disengage the pin from the bar 8.

` rlhe outer gripper then moves downward intov the positions indicated in Figs. 26 and-27.

` n order that the inner cord gripping aws 8 and 10 may be moved inward by the inward swinging .movement of the `outer grippers *fromthe position indicated in Figy23 to the position indicated in Fig. 24 the supports for theinner gripper'jaws are mounted on-.two

rvertical Vrods 208, the vlowerends of; which are secured in brackets 210`pivotally supported upon studs 212 at oppositesides of the machine (Figs. 6, 7, 13 and'15). kThe rods are heldk in forward position by spring lpressed pins 214 engaging the upper ends of rllhe'lower jaw 10 of the innert gripper is formed by the upper face of a the rods'.

transverse bar, the ,ends of which are secured influgs216 formed on sleeves 218 which are mounted to slide vertically; on the rods 208.

The sleevesare moved on .the rods to raise and lower jaw oftheinner gripper through links 220 A connecting the vsleeves with the forward ends of two arms 222 which aresel cured kto the shaft 02and the left hand one formed by the lower surface of a transverseV ofwhich carries a cam roll 224 engaging a groove in the cam disk L64 (Fig. 11). j

' The upper jaw of thefinner gripper is barQ8,-the ends of which. areLsecured to lugs .226 formed-on sleeves 228 mounted tol slide vertically'onthe rodsi2-08.` The sleeves 228; aredrawn downwardtoward the sleeves 218 I Vby springs 230 connecting the sleeves and are normallyv supportedto hold the upper jaw 8 in the position indicated in Fig. 20 by spring v.operated latch levers 232 provided with shoulders 234 arranged to underlie projecting lugs' 236 on the sleeves 228. The cord cutting knife 12 is secured to the front face of a transverse knife bar 238 providedat its opposite ends with forwardly projecting ears 240 which are slotted to receive the ends of the guide pins 242 which project inward from the upward extensions at the ends of the bar 8. Springs 224 underlie the ends of the knife bar and hold it in raised position on the gripper bar 8. The cutter plate is provided at its ends with lingers 246 which extend down back .of the lower gripper bar 10 and serve to and having their vertical arms provided with rolls252 engaging cam plates 254 secured in the rods 208. When the upper gripper bar is in normal position, the cam rolls register with recesses in the cam plates, as indicated in Fig. 1. As the gripper bar starts upward, the cam rolls ride out ofthe recesses, thus rocking the levers 248 and depressing the cutter bar with relation to the 'gripper bar, as indicated in Figs.` 14 and 21.V

VVhenthe inner gripper moves upward intoV the position of Fig. 21, the latch levers 232 swing inward so that their upper end underlie the lugs 236 on the sleeves 228 and are-in positio-n to support the upper gripper bar 8 in the position indicated in Figs."22 to 27 when the 'lower gripper bar moves Vdownward into the position indicated in Figs. 25 to 27 to release the ends of the cords. The upper gripper bar remains in this position until theV lower gripper bar returns'tofits lower position after the tying of the knots has been completed and the knotters have been returned to their retracted position. During this return movement of the lower gripper bar cams 256 on the sleeves v218 engage cam projections 258 on the latch levers and swing them back to release the lugs 236 and permit the sleeves 228 to descend until the lugs engage the `shoulders 234 on the latches. j l

y For convenience the supports for the measuring-and stripping plate 18 .are mounted on the rods`208. As shown, the ends of the plate v,are securedto arms 260 which project upward from sleeves 262 mounted to slide vertically on the rods 208. The sleeves are acted on by springs 264 which tendy to raise the plate 18 into its upper position, which is determined bythe engagementof the lower end of the slots 266 in the sleeves with stop screws iat 268Y projecting from the rodsf208. I" The' plate is moveddown belowthepath of the-spindles by the engagement of thefsleevesh218-with' the sleeves 262 as theflowergrippervbar 10'v is moved downjinto its lower position. a lVhen the gripper bar moves upto grip .the cords after thespindles have been withdrawn the n Vplate 1,8'mo1ves up with the bar luntil movementfof the Yplate lis arrested bythe engagementfothelower endsfothe yslots inthe sleeves 262with ythe, stop ,screws 268.l When ,c

' the upper gripper bar-.engages the edge of the plate the springs 264 yield Vto allow 'the'l .v the' upper from ythe machine..

plate tocbe -move'd'downward with the grij per bar in tightening the knot and discharging The work holder consists or va series'ot fingers '16y each provided at its upper end with aforward projection arranged" to over-f lie and-engagethe edges of'theupperquarters. The lingers are arranged to move verp'ticallyfbetween-the front side ofthe plate.

18 andtherear side oa vertical 'iront plate 270 andto thus determine the lengths of the jlac'ings,passing-np-romqthe eyelets over the upper edge ofthe plate 18 to the knotters.

In'fdoing certain classes yot work the lower pair'ofeyelets `ofthel shoe should be secured close togetherfwhile the., other pairs of eyelets ,should.befso'- connected that the ,spacel A between the yedges, of the quarters willbe' ,g ,-radually increased 'when :the shoe is lasted.

V InVr doing: other classes of `work all l thev pairs t of eyelets shoullloeis'o`V connected that'they f; may be 4equally,spaced Yapart when the f shoej V.is lasted. The mechanism yforoperating the work holder is accordingly so' constructed that the fingers. bemoved down suc,-

k cessively increasing distancesfrom the edge'. of; theplatej18 lormay allfbevmoved 'down v the'sanedistancerand means'isalso provided v postioningrmovement of the lingers. f Y c,

As shovvnin' Fig;l7, the lower. end ofV Yeach linger-is secured to afblock272nwhi'ch isvertically'slotted atV its rear-edge toljem-l Vbrace the forward end off'a lever 274, thel lever.

for u stably varying the downward. work rear'fend of which is-jpivoted between lugs on the lower sideot Vablock 22. The blocki -272,`is,connefcted with the lever 274 by a screwy pin 276 passingthrough ay slot inthe comprises [two vertically. movable links` 278 and280, the lowerends of which vare pivoted ,i tothe fre-avrv ends oifarms 282 which aref-in .turnjpivoted lto lugs` on'the machine casing.

Theupper endofthe link 1278"-is slotted tofl embrace`- a 'pin'V 284y f proj ecting from the leit-v handlever 274 and Va spring V286v is.` arranged intheslotto underliethje pin hold itl injengagement with the upperend ot the j slot; The upper end of the link 280 isslotted teem-brace the end otV transverse'rodj288:

which vezft'end's'tlirough holes in the levers.V

They means -or operating thee-leversv l tolower and rai-se the work holder fingers f 274 and' has its left hand" end pivoted to a bracket securedto the leftl handlever' (Figsl 7l and 9'); 4The lower end of: the slot Ain Ythe i link 280 is crowned to. permit angular as well as sliding movement oftherod 288 and vthe rod is Vheld, in engagement with `Ytheend of they slot by across pin 290. Each link 278 andk 280isprovided. with a stop lug 292 arranged to engage 'a stop 294 adjustably vmounted onithe machine casing to `determine `the downward movement ofthe corresponding link. lThestops 294are mounted on adjusting screws 296 which are provided with knurled collars 298 vby -which lthe operator may adjust the stops, and `each'stop is pro-` vided'witha projection 300 extending'into a vslot 30'2in'the front of theniachine casingV in the cam .disk 204, (Figs. 7 and V9)'. The

lower endsof the links'pass through pivot blocks 3l() formed onthe ends of the'pivots 3l2which connectthe `links 278 and 280 with the 'arms l282. n Ther-lower ends of the links are provided'with collars 314 which arenormallyv held in engagement with theunder sidesof Vthe pivot blocks by springs 316 in-` Yterposed between f the'upper sides'ofy the' blocks and collars 318 secu-redto the-links.

Through the 4abovey 'connections' thelinks 278V and'g280 are moved downward untilthe corresponding stop lug 292'engages the stop 294, after which the springs 816 'will yield during thecontinued'inovement of the rock' arms 806. l lf the stops'294 are similarly ad-y justedV thenboth links 27 8' and'280 will be rmoved down the same distance and consequently below the edge oi theplate1l8 and the knotters so that thelacings `will'be of? equal length and willbe of a length depend ent upon the adjustment of the stops. If the left handstopis adjusted to its `highest point then the lethand'pair Yof eyelets, i; e;,-the rbottom eyelets el the shoe, will be tied Vclose together since thelupper end of thele'ft hand work {inge-r will movethe edge of thework practically ir'rtollinev with Ythe upper Vedge of the'pl'ate 18,1 asl indicated -in the diagrammatic views 21-to `426'. Vhen theleft'hand stop is thus-.adjustedthe' right handfstop isI ladj usted toV allowerf'iposition so that the successive workrholder lingers, `and therefore the successive pairs of eyelets, willbe-located at progressively increasing distances from the upper' edg'eofvv the *platey 18 and lthe Ycorrespondng.. knotters; and jthus the"lacings connecting the successive pairs of eyelets will be of increasing length to permit the space between the edges of the upper to gradually increase from the lower eyelets upward when the shoe is lasted. When the work holder fingers are thus located to secure a progressive increase vin the lengths of t-he the position of F ig. 27 and the right hand end ofthe bar 288v need not, therefore, be yieldingly supported.

In order that the cords may be held taut while the cutter is severing the lengths of cord drawn through the spindles, means is provided for gripping the cords between the cord supply and the cutter during the cutting.VV This means comprises a gripper bar 320 under which the cords lead on their way from Vthe cord supply to the rear ends of the spindle carriers and by which they are held against the upper side of a transversely grooved stationary bar 322. The bar 320 is vsecured in the front end of a lever 324, the rear end of which is arranged to beengaged by a cam lugy 326 secured to the left hand rod52. Vhen the rods 52 are retracted Y to withdraw thespindles into their retracted l between thisbar and the upper gripper jawsA ywhen acted upon by thel inner gripper and position the lug 326 rides against the rear end of the lever 324 and forces the clamping bar 32() firmly against the bar 322, thus Vclamping the cords so that they. are held taut cutter. The proper gripping and severing of the cords is thus insured.

VThe various cams of the machine are sev'cured upon a cam shaft 328 which is driven throughva single revolution for each cycle of the machine. The driving mechanism compris-es va worm wheel 330 securedto a clutch sleeve 332 and driven through a worm 334 from an electric motor 3.36. The clutch sleeve`332 isV loosely mounted on the cam shaft which is bored to receive a clutch operating rod 338. `The rod carries a pivoted clutch dog 340 arranged to project through a slot in the sha-ft and to engage one ofthree refcesses 342 formed in the interior of the clutch i sleeve 332.. f A spring 344 tends to move the clutch dog outward into engagement with the clutch sleeve and the dog is withdrawn into finactive positionfby the engagement of an inclineA onfits outer edge with thecollar 346 on the shaft. The one revolution stop lmotion for controlling the clutch comprises a lever 348, theupper end of which is provided with a roll engaging an annular groove in a collar 350 secured to the clutch rod 338 and yacted upon by a spring 352 tending yto shift the rod intov clutch yengaging position. The lever is heldin clutch disengaging position by a spring operated latch 354 engaging a pin 356 on the lever. The latch is disengaged by a hook 358 carried on the upper end of a treadle operated starting rod 360 and held by a spring 362 in engagement with a shoulder 384011 the latch. Theupper end of the hook is vprovid-ed with a roll knormally lying within a recess 366 in a cam disk .368 secured to the cam shaft. The upper end of the clutch shifting lever 348 carries a roll 370 arranged to be engaged by a cam 372 on the face of the disk 368. lVhen the machine is to be started vthe treadle is depressed, thus drawingrthe latch 354 down into the position indicated in Fig. 2 so that the clutch lever may move to the left, carrying the pin 356 over the upper edge of the latch and engaging the clutch. As the cam shaft starts to revolve the roll on the end of the hook 358 is forced out of the recess in the cam disk 368, thus disengaging the hook from the latch so that the latch is free to return so far as the hook is concerned, regardless of whether the i y l. The method of lacing shoe uppersV preparatory to lasting which consists in passmg a separate cord through each pair of eyellets relatively manipulating the cords and upper to cause the cords to vary in length and tying the ends of the cords together to form lacing loops of different lengths.

2. rlhe method of lacing shoe uppers preparatory to lasting which consists in passing a series of cords through a series of pairs of eyelets, severing from the cord supplies lengths of cord which vary from one end of l Vthe series to the other, and tying together the ends of the lengths of cord to yform a series of lacing loops of progressively varying lengths.

3. rfhe method of lacing shoe uppers preparatory tov lasting which consists in simultaneously passing a series of cords through a series of pairs of eyelets, relatively manipulating the cords and upper to cause the cords to vary in length and thereafter tying the cords to form a series of separate n. lacings of varying lengthsin'the'V series of pairsof eyelets. Y, 4.'. :The'jmethodi of lacing shoe uppers preparatorytolasting which consists in pass: Vingia separate cord through each pair of eye- Y lets, bringing vthe ends ofeachvcord together, and tying the ends of'. each cord together at differentV distances Jfrom the. shoe upper to` formlacing loops of diEerent lengths. i f I0' V5.V The method of lacing shoe" uppers preparatory to lasting' Which consists in passing a series of cords through a series ofpairs of eyelets,; relatively manipulating the' cords and upper to cause the cords to vary in length 'mvprogi-'essively Vfrom one end of the'series toY theother andv tying together the ends of the cords to form a series'of lacing loops of progressively Varying lengths.y

ln testimony whereof lI have signed my 2Q' name to this specication a Y .f HERBERT E. ENSLllN. 

